Robyn Kay Bushong

Robyn Kay Bushong UPPER Robyn Kay Russell Bushong, 77, died under hospice care on Sunday, May 18, at home in Havre Lafitte, due to complications of abdominal cancer.

She was born November 1, 1947, daughter of John Flewelling and Nita Flewelling Russell. She survived poliomyelitis as a child. Her family moved to Brownsville, Texas in 1962. She graduated from Brownsville High School, and attended Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. An accomplished pianist, Robyn preferred to prepare for a career in journalism and graduated from the University of Texas with a degree in Journalism in January 1969.

Bushong was hired as the first female management trainee at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in Austin. She remained with Southwestern Bell, now AT&T, in Austin until 1975 when she relocated to Galveston and rejoined SW BELL as a business officer supervisor.

In 1976, she joined the Galveston Chamber of Commerce as editor of Galveston Magazine. She left the Chamber in 1983 to launch the Galveston edition of TravelHost Magazine - a tourism-related publication placed in over 2000 hotel rooms on the island. Robyn was associate publisher of the Galveston edition until selling her interest in 1989.

In 1989, the Galveston Chamber of commerce named Bushong 'Small Business Person of the Year'. She was Texas finalist for the award as national 'Small Business Person of the Year' from the Small Business Administration.

Shortly thereafter, she founded What's New in Travel LLC, creating a niche as publisher and editor, researching and writing personalized newsletters linking specialized travel consultants and aspiring travelers. Her clients included Consolidated Travel Services, Inc., Business Travel International (BTI), and SuperTravel; in 1993, she began exclusively representing American Express Travel Agencies.

Starting with a single city (Houston), Bushong built her newsletter circulation to 2 million for each edition, representing over 100 AMEX travel agencies throughout the United States.

In 2000, the Consumer Travel Division of American Express awarded Bushong an exclusive contract to publish newsletters for their representative agencies nationwide - the first time American Express had awarded such a contract to any individual.

Bushong sold 'What's New' in 2002, and started her next business, creating and administering the American Express Cruise & Vacation Travel Show. And she continued to serve as Editor and Advertising Director for Traveling Times, under Marko and Angela Ilich - a relationship she considered the most positive, productive and exciting of her long career in journalism and sales.

In late 2017, she retired from American Express Travel; and in 2018, Bushong was recruited by Signature Travel Network as Project Editor for a new initiative, Signature Travel Expert Select. Robyn experienced this as her most challenging and exciting project: she created individual professional biographies for scores of Signature Travel Experts. Each of these highlighted an individual Advisor's deeply-understood destinations and travel specialties, so website clients could select the most fitting consultant for their travels.

Bushong took great joy from serving as publicist for The Grand 1894 Opera House - a position she held from 1992 until her death.

Another popular venture was making 'That Special Fudge,' a bespoke confection tweaked from a recipe from her mother. She continued to produce the fudge as a thank-you and holiday gift for friends and clients - a cherished hobby continued until her death.

Robyn's volunteer work included service on the Board of Directors for the Junior League of Galveston County, Inc., St. Mary's Hospital, and the Galveston Historical Foundation. She was recognized by the Junior League as 'Sustainer of the Year' in 1990.

Following Hurricane Ike in 2008, Robyn served on the Galveston Community Recovery Committee, and managed public communications for the Committee. She served on the Lyceum Board of First Lutheran Church, and was active in the church's annual Oktoberfest event, chairing Publicity, Vendors, and Sponsorship.

Robyn's husband Jack Bushong died in 2009, and shortly thereafter, Robyn accepted an invitation to join the Rotary Club of Galveston as an 'Honorary Member.' Spurning a passive symbolic membership, she served the Rotary Club as Public Relations chair and club photographer until her death. From 2005 to 2020, Robyn created and edited an annual 16-page directory for the Rotary Club of Galveston. She introduced her final partner and third husband, William Hensel, to Rotary, and together they visited earth's southernmost Rotary chapter in Puerto Williams, Chile, as they returned from a cruise across the Drake Passage and below the Antarctic Circle.

Robyn was one of five founders of the Galveston Island Humane Society (Animal Shelter and Adoption Center of Galveston Island, Inc.); and she treasured this as her greatest accomplishment and legacy. From its inception in 1980 until 1988, she served on the Society's Board of Directors. In 1998, Bushong started the Galveston Home & Garden Show as a major fundraising event for the Animal Shelter; she coordinated the show for 12 years. In 2000, the event was recognized as one of the 'Top Home & Garden shows in Texas', with over 200 vendors participating. Until her death, Bushong served as publicity chair for the Galveston Island Humane Society.

Beginning in 2011, Robyn immersed herself in the annual ABC 13 'Share Your Holidays' Food Drive, intending to make this project citywide and countywide - since the need is so great in both Galveston City and Galveston County. Starting in 2013, she coordinated with Lisa Schweitzer (BHS Student Council sponsor) and then Mike Dudas (GISD/BHS 'Share Your Holidays' Coordinator and BHS Media Arts Coach) to bring local businesses and organizations on board as Food Drive 'Community Partners.'

At the time of her death, 'Share Your Holidays' has become a major event. All proceeds are administered by the Galveston County Food Bank - over 30,000 pounds of food for those who are food-insecure in Galveston and Galveston County.

Robyn is preceded in death by her husband of over 31 years, Jack Bushong, and by her parents and step-father. She is survived and mourned by her husband William Hensel, her brother and sister-in-law Gregg and Becki Russell of Austin, and her beloved miniature border college Luna, the last of a series of rescue pets Robyn adopted from the Galveston Island Humane Society.

Her life will be celebrated at Trinity Episcopal Church on May 31st at 2 p.m. with the Reverend Jimmy Abbott officiating. A reception will follow. In lieu of flowers or gifts, donations can be made to the Galveston Island Humane Society, 6814 Broadway, Galveston, TX 77554; or to the Galveston County Food Bank, designating ABC 13 'Share Your Holidays' Food Drive, attn: Donnie VanAckeren, president, 624 4th Avenue N., Texas City; or Trinity Episcopal Church, 2213 Avenue H, Galveston, TX 77550.